Finding Out Hallie Left
[Zach]
Zach and Hope had returned home after Ellie said she would watch the kids after the after party and so that they could get some time together. His held her hand as they drove home and he already knew that her outfit wasnât going to last on her long after being a tease almost all night. âWhen we get home, donât go anywhere.âÂ
[Hope]
Hope looked at Zach as she heard his words and just bit her lip, âI told you I have to wash our clothes from the bachelor party. The alcohol soaked our clothes, not to mention all that blood.â She told him as she crossed her legs and her skirt came up.Â
[Zach]
âYeah and we can wash them later.â He smirked before parking and getting out of the car. Zach could tell something was different as he looked towards the house. âWhere is Hallie?â He asks as he was side tracked by the lingering scent that was slowly fading.Â
[Hope]
âSure.â She laughed slightly before getting out of the car as well. She grabbed her purse before closing the door. She heard his question and went silent as she leaned against the door.
[Zach]
He turned to look at Hope as she stayed quiet. âWhere is our daughter?â He asks as his eyes glowed bright red and he looked at the scent trail. Zach didnât wait a second longer before going to follow it.Â
[Hope]
Hope moved to stop him. âYou need to let her take some time away Zach. Seeing you will only hurt her. She needs time Zach. Just let her have that. She will come back when she is ready.â
[Zach]
âWhat are you talking about? You just let her run away from everyone? She needs us, she canât be alone. Yeah and we said her going to a different school would be better for her and she tried to kill herself. We need to be there so that that doesnât happen again. I wonât let that happen again.âÂ
[Hope]
âI donât think she is alone, Zach. You donât think I want her to be here? But sometimes we arenât enough. Sometimes we canât give her what she needs. My parents couldnât. After what happened all I wanted was you and my dad fucking drive himself crazy trying to fix things for me. We canât fix everything.â
[Zach]
Zach couldnât even think straight as he sort of wasnât listening but halfway was. âWhat? What do you mean? We are her parents Hope. I am not going to fail her like this. Itâs notâŚno.â He said as his eyes flashed different colors.Â
[Hope]
âFuckâŚ.Zach you know why she would want to leave. It has nothing to do with us and it was nothing we could control. She just needs space.â Hope tried to keep her emotions under control as she moved to make him look at her. âYou didnât fail her. You are not failing her. She just feels like she failed you. She just doesnât want anyone to hate her anymore.â
[Zach]
âWhat? Everything seemed fine when we left this morningâŚis that why you told me to say goodbye to her again? You knew she was leaving?â He asks.Â
[Hope]
âShe was already packed when I went in there. She just said one of us should know. IâŚI thought if I got you to go back in you would see or she would tell you. She made me promise not to tell you, but I figured if you saw it on your own I wouldnât be breaking it.âÂ
[Zach]
âI am her father, I should have said something. I heard the rustling around but I was hoping it was just my mind playing tricks on me. That is literally part of being her father. She is our baby girl and I let her downâŚI let her down.â His eyes turned bright blue.Â
[Hope]
âNo, no you didnât Zach. You know you didnât. You are her hero. You always have been. And you were there for her. She knew what she needed and she is doing it. We justâŚwe just have to give it time and she will be back before we know it.â
[Zach]
âSo this isnât permanent?âHe lets out a sigh of relief. âOkay that, that I can deal with. I thought you meant she was leaving and not coming back.â He tells her before heading inside to get a bottle of rum out from the cabinet.Â
[Hope]
âShe said she was coming back. She said she hoped to be back before Henryâs prom. I mean thatâs still a while away but at least itâs a date.â Hope sighed softly as she followed after him and she closed the door behind her. She looked at the table and saw letters. She moved into the kitchen and saw him grabbing a bottle. âI think this one is for you Zach.â
[Zach]
Zach flicked open the cap and took a swig of the alcohol before hearing Hopeâs words. âIâŚthatâs three years away?â He sighed. âAnd she doesnât want us to ever visit?âÂ
[Hope]
âYou know if we visit you will just ask her to come home. She doesnât want us knowing where she is at all.â Hope just stayed silent as she opened up her letter and then saw Henryâs name. âThereâs not one for Emmett.â She said softly. âDo we tell him? About her and theâŚthe baby?âÂ
[Zach]
âNo, we donât tell him. I promised her I wouldnât tell David or Emmett about what happened. Itâs up to her to tell them if she wants to. And not necessarily when she was on the ship I let her stay there for however long she needed.â He sighed.Â
[Hope]
She smiled softly at her letter before putting it back in the envelope. âI understand that butâŚEmmett might have just lost his first child. We are still his parents too. HeâŚdoesnât he deserve to know?âÂ
[Zach]
âThe baby wouldnât have been his. He was safe in that regard. Itâs best to not bring it up until they know for sure. I mean it couldnât have been his right? Jezz. I donât want to know.âÂ
[Hope]Â
Hope stayed silent as she just looked at him before looking down at the letters. âWell at least we know it wasnât real. What they felt for each other. I mean thatâs aâŚpositive at least?â She said before getting up and placing the letters in the mail bin.
[Zach]
âYou know feelings are more complicated than that. Some people run away, others dive head first. You know how freaked out I was when I thought I was actually falling in love. It was something I didnât think would happen. I am sure he didnât think the first time he felt something would be with Hallie. But hopefully it wasnât.â
[Hope]
âWell thatâs not true. You told me you loved me first. I didnât say it to you. I donât think falling in love freaked you out. I think rejection did.â She said before shrugging. âI know Hallie knows what she felt was real. But it is probably for the best that it ended this way. I donât want her running around an island alone, butâŚI donât want her thinking she is in love with two people either.â
[Zach]
âRightâŚwell we should go and see Henry. There is something going on he wanted to talk to us about. We can bring him the letter as well. I am sure he wants to read it.â
[Hope]
âI need to get out of this dress. But I will be back soon.â She told him before heading upstairs. She unzipped her dress and slid into something more comfortable. She put her hair up before heading back downstairs. âReady.â
[Zach]
Zach sighed before taking another drink and then going to the nearby bathroom and changing his own clothes. He came out of the bathroom and nodded his head. âAlright, letâs go.â Zach grabbed Henryâs letter and handed it to Hope before heading to the car.Â
[Hope]Â
âZach you just drank a lot, let me drive.â She told him before handing him Henry and his letter. âJust relax. Itâs my car anyway.â She smiled softly before heading into the car.
[Zach]
âYeah okay sure.â He says before giving her the keys and taking the letters. âWell I am glad that you like the car then.â Zach cracked a smile before getting inside.Â
[Hope]Â
âBaby.â She said as they got in the car. She leaned over and kissed him deeply before pulling away slightly. âI love the car. Thank you.âÂ
[zach]
Zach took her hand after kissing her back. âNow I just have to figure out how to one up a car for a birthday present.â He jokes with a small laugh.Â
[Hope]
âI can think of a few ways baby.â She teased before driving to Henryâs school.









